Ball State coaches keeping open mind about QB race

Ball State sophomore quarterback Ozzie Mann looks to pass during a drill on during the first practice of fall camp. Mann, a Delta graduate, is one candidate to take over the position vacated by Keith Wenning.(Photo: Corey Ohlenkamp/The Star Press)

MUNCIE – Here we are, more than two months later, and the words sound the same.

Ball State has four quarterbacks on its roster. One name not on that list is Keith Wenning, the man who had an ironclad grip on the starting position for three years through last season. Pete Lembo said at MAC Media Day that he will be starting a quarterback when the season opens Aug. 30 against Colgate.

But everything else remains about as unclear on the outside as it did at the opening of camp.

"After so many practices you'll sit down and reevaluate where you're at, especially as you get closer to game time," offensive coordinator Joey Lynch said. "Right now, one thing about fall camp and the way we practice, we get a lot of reps. I'm very thankful of that because it allows each of those guys to get honest reps and honest evaluation."

The Cardinals exited spring holding strong to the idea of a four-man quarterback race among Ozzie Mann, Jack Milas, Kyle Kamman and true freshman David Morrison. Lembo called it wide open, and Lynch was non-committal if any had helped their position in the workouts since spring. Lynch, himself an ex-Cardinal passer, said the process will be fluid.

But in practice, Mann and Milas have worked with the No. 1 unit, with the older Mann getting the majority of those reps. Before the preseason, Lembo said the best players would be working with the top units, but it's still early in August with enough time for any change to happen.

Members of the staff said they won't make a decision until they have to, which could mean late in camp or the start of Colgate game week.

Nick Miles, #3, has a laugh with Jayne Powers. Ball State players gathered and walked through downtown interacting with fans and building links to the community. They spent much of their time at Canan Commons. Players will also be at the Southside Walmart and in Yorktown (business district and sports complex). Miles was an intern this summer at MutualBank where Powers works. (Photo: Kurt Hostetler/The Star Press)

Members of the Ball State football team get off of buses downtown Tuesday. Ball State players gathered and walked through downtown interacting with fans and building links to the community. They spent much of their time at Canan Commons. Players will also be at the Southside Walmart and in Yorktown (business district and sports complex). (Photo: Kurt Hostetler/The Star Press)

Ethel Doughitt (left) gets autographs from several players including kicker Scott Secor, #1. Ball State players gathered and walked through downtown interacting with fans and building links to the community. They spent much of their time at Canan Commons. Players will also be at the Southside Walmart and in Yorktown (business district and sports complex). (Photo: Kurt Hostetler/The Star Press)

Nick Plavchak gets a hug from Jayne Powers. Ball State players gathered and walked through downtown interacting with fans and building links to the community. They spent much of their time at Canan Commons. Players will also be at the Southside Walmart and in Yorktown (business district and sports complex). Plavchak was an intern this summer at MutualBank where Powers works. (Photo: Kurt Hostetler/The Star Press)

Efe Scott-Emuakpor, #18, and others return to Canan Commons after walking downtown Tuesday. Ball State players gathered and walked through downtown interacting with fans and building links to the community. They spent much of their time at Canan Commons. Players will also be at the Southside Walmart and in Yorktown (business district and sports complex). (Photo: Kurt Hostetler/The Star Press)

Ethel Doughitt (left) gets autographs from several players including wide receiver Efe Scott-Emuakpor, #18. Ball State players gathered and walked through downtown interacting with fans and building links to the community. They spent much of their time at Canan Commons. Players will also be at the Southside Walmart and in Yorktown (business district and sports complex). (Photo: Kurt Hostetler/The Star Press)

Ball State players gathered and walked through downtown interacting with fans and building links to the community. They spent much of their time at Canan Commons. Players will also be at the Southside Walmart and in Yorktown (business district and sports complex). (Photo: Kurt Hostetler/The Star Press)

Sydney Jackson, 6, draws while downtown Tuesday. Ball State players gathered and walked through downtown interacting with fans and building links to the community. They spent much of their time at Canan Commons. Players will also be at the Southside Walmart and in Yorktown (business district and sports complex). (Photo: Kurt Hostetler/The Star Press)

Ball State players gathered and walked through downtown interacting with fans and building links to the community. They spent much of their time at Canan Commons. Players will also be at the Southside Walmart and in Yorktown (business district and sports complex). (Photo: Kurt Hostetler/The Star Press)

Ball State players gathered and walked through downtown interacting with fans and building links to the community. They spent much of their time at Canan Commons. Players will also be at the Southside Walmart and in Yorktown (business district and sports complex). (Photo: Kurt Hostetler/The Star Press)

Ball State players gathered and walked through downtown interacting with fans and building links to the community. They spent much of their time at Canan Commons. Players will also be at the Southside Walmart and in Yorktown (business district and sports complex). (Photo: Kurt Hostetler/The Star Press)

Ball State players gathered and walked through downtown interacting with fans and building links to the community. They spent much of their time at Canan Commons. Players will also be at the Southside Walmart and in Yorktown (business district and sports complex). (Photo: Kurt Hostetler/The Star Press)

Ball State players gathered and walked through downtown interacting with fans and building links to the community. They spent much of their time at Canan Commons. Players will also be at the Southside Walmart and in Yorktown (business district and sports complex). (Photo: Kurt Hostetler/The Star Press)

Ball State players gathered and walked through downtown interacting with fans and building links to the community. They spent much of their time at Canan Commons. Players will also be at the Southside Walmart and in Yorktown (business district and sports complex). (Photo: Kurt Hostetler/The Star Press)

Ball State players gathered and walked through downtown interacting with fans and building links to the community. They spent much of their time at Canan Commons. Players will also be at the Southside Walmart and in Yorktown (business district and sports complex). (Photo: Kurt Hostetler/The Star Press)

Ball State players gathered and walked through downtown interacting with fans and building links to the community. They spent much of their time at Canan Commons. Players will also be at the Southside Walmart and in Yorktown (business district and sports complex). (Photo: Kurt Hostetler/The Star Press)

Ball State players gathered and walked through downtown interacting with fans and building links to the community. They spent much of their time at Canan Commons. Players will also be at the Southside Walmart and in Yorktown (business district and sports complex). (Photo: Kurt Hostetler/The Star Press)

Ball State players gathered and walked through downtown interacting with fans and building links to the community. They spent much of their time at Canan Commons. Players will also be at the Southside Walmart and in Yorktown (business district and sports complex). (Photo: Kurt Hostetler/The Star Press)

Ball State players gathered and walked through downtown interacting with fans and building links to the community. They spent much of their time at Canan Commons. Players will also be at the Southside Walmart and in Yorktown (business district and sports complex). (Photo: Kurt Hostetler/The Star Press)

Ball State players gathered and walked through downtown interacting with fans and building links to the community. They spent much of their time at Canan Commons. Players will also be at the Southside Walmart and in Yorktown (business district and sports complex). (Photo: Kurt Hostetler/The Star Press)

Ball State players gathered and walked through downtown interacting with fans and building links to the community. They spent much of their time at Canan Commons. Players will also be at the Southside Walmart and in Yorktown (business district and sports complex). (Photo: Kurt Hostetler/The Star Press)

Ball State players gathered and walked through downtown interacting with fans and building links to the community. They spent much of their time at Canan Commons. Players will also be at the Southside Walmart and in Yorktown (business district and sports complex). (Photo: Kurt Hostetler/The Star Press)

Ball State players gathered and walked through downtown interacting with fans and building links to the community. They spent much of their time at Canan Commons. Players will also be at the Southside Walmart and in Yorktown (business district and sports complex). (Photo: Kurt Hostetler/The Star Press)

Ball State players gathered and walked through downtown interacting with fans and building links to the community. They spent much of their time at Canan Commons. Players will also be at the Southside Walmart and in Yorktown (business district and sports complex). (Photo: Kurt Hostetler/The Star Press)

Ball State players gathered and walked through downtown interacting with fans and building links to the community. They spent much of their time at Canan Commons. Players will also be at the Southside Walmart and in Yorktown (business district and sports complex). (Photo: Kurt Hostetler/The Star Press)

Ball State players gathered and walked through downtown interacting with fans and building links to the community. They spent much of their time at Canan Commons. Players will also be at the Southside Walmart and in Yorktown (business district and sports complex). (Photo: Kurt Hostetler/The Star Press)

Ball State players gathered and walked through downtown interacting with fans and building links to the community. They spent much of their time at Canan Commons. Players will also be at the Southside Walmart and in Yorktown (business district and sports complex). (Photo: Kurt Hostetler/The Star Press)

Ball State players gathered and walked through downtown interacting with fans and building links to the community. They spent much of their time at Canan Commons. Players will also be at the Southside Walmart and in Yorktown (business district and sports complex). (Photo: Kurt Hostetler/The Star Press)

Ball State players gathered and walked through downtown interacting with fans and building links to the community. They spent much of their time at Canan Commons. Players will also be at the Southside Walmart and in Yorktown (business district and sports complex). (Photo: Kurt Hostetler/The Star Press)

Ball State players gathered and walked through downtown interacting with fans and building links to the community. They spent much of their time at Canan Commons. Players will also be at the Southside Walmart and in Yorktown (business district and sports complex). (Photo: Kurt Hostetler/The Star Press)

Ball State players gathered and walked through downtown interacting with fans and building links to the community. They spent much of their time at Canan Commons. Players will also be at the Southside Walmart and in Yorktown (business district and sports complex). (Photo: Kurt Hostetler/The Star Press)

Ball State players gathered and walked through downtown interacting with fans and building links to the community. They spent much of their time at Canan Commons. Players will also be at the Southside Walmart and in Yorktown (business district and sports complex). (Photo: Kurt Hostetler/The Star Press)

Ball State players gathered and walked through downtown interacting with fans and building links to the community. They spent much of their time at Canan Commons. Players will also be at the Southside Walmart and in Yorktown (business district and sports complex). (Photo: Kurt Hostetler/The Star Press Kurt Hostetler/The Star Press)

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Going through the process, there's some uncertainty, when the players in the race only have a vague sense of where they stand. And that can be a bit uncomfortable.

"At times, yeah," said Milas, who noted he worked on throwing on the run and developing timing during the summer. "But knowing that you're competing every day against all these guys that you're good friends with, it's kind of fun."

The redshirt freshman admitted there are times when he tries to assess his situation, find meaning in which team he's working with, but for the most part, he believes day-in-day-out consistency will decide the starter.

Despite the way Ball State occasionally asks its quarterbacks to run on a zone-read, Lynch affirmed his quartet of charges are all passers first and foremost, and that's what they'll be asked to do when the season commences. He noted all four came in from summer ready to play faster, buoyed by their own work and five meetings with him when they sat tighter and broke down defense, not offense.

The goal, according to the coach: find the man who best manages the offense. It's not about who can make an average receiver prolific (and take risks in doing so), but who can reliably get the ball to the Cardinals' prolific cast of play-makers.

Kamman and Mann are the only members of the group who have tried to do that in live action, and Kamman is the only one who played meaningful snaps (he had emergency duty against Miami in 2012). But Mann was Wenning's top backup last season, throwing nine passes in relief, and he's also had the most work with the starters in the offseason.

The quiet Delta alum is only a redshirt sophomore, but finds himself as one of the most experienced passers on the roster. Even working with the top unit, Mann readily admits nothing's guaranteed and the competition has kept him on his toes.

"It's always nice to compete," Mann said. "It's fun competing with these guys because we're all good friends. It's fun coming out here every day to get better. Competing's competing.